Beyond the Unknown
by FFgurl4lyfe
Summary: After the events of ME3, the Normandy and crew outrun the shockwave only to find themselves on an unknown planet, the Normandy grounded. Garrus and Tali plus the crew fight to stay alive on a hostile planet with limited supplies and no way of getting home. GarrusxTali, some EDIxJoker.
1. The Crash

With the new Mass Effect on the near horizon I've been seriously cursing the ending of the third game (I thought I had gotten over it but I guess not). With that in mind, I started to write about what happened to the crew! I hope you enjoy, leave me some reviews and let me know what you think!

"Keelah, are we alive?" The lights flickered on overhead of them strangely, reflecting through her mask and causing her to peer out of mostly closed eyes. "Dim.", she muttered mostly to herself. Instantly her mask obeyed her command and diminished the light that it allowed to filter through. "Uuuuuuuuuuuugh." "Garrus?", she weakly asked, summoning the strength to lift her arm and pat around until she found what must be his face. All she got in return was another long winded groan, but she knew it was him. When Joker had been outrunning the blast, Garrus had held her close to try and stabilize her through the rough ride. Obviously that hadn't worked out so well, judging by her pain and his groaning. Unable to hold her head up any more in the moment, Tali just rested it against what had to be Garrus' chest and sighed.

What she wouldn't give to be wrapped in blankets and resting on the softest bed imaginable. Hours after the intimate moments she'd shared with Garrus, Tali had begun to feel the effects of being exposed to the germs of the outerworld. At first it had just been mild aching and a sore throat. By this point she had caught herself shaking violently at times, had a headache worse than she'd ever had in the past, her temperature had spiked, and her environmental suit had been in a constant state of dehumidifying to account for the sweat that seemed to be pouring out of her body, both hot and cold. Her body was throbbing and skin had already been tender, but being tossed around the ship had only made that worse.

"Tali?"

"Mmm?", she groaned in response.

"Are you okay?"

"Define okay.", she muttered to herself.

"Huh?"

"I think I'm alive." His slight shift made her set her teeth. On second thought...

"We need to go check on the others." The last thing Tali really wanted to do at the moment was get up and potentially crawl through the entire ship to find their squadmates. Actually, she wasn't sure if her body would even let her stand.

"Tali?"

"Yeah...", she sighed and placed her hands on either side of him.

Pushing up, Tali scrambled to her knees and knelt forward with her hands on the ship beside her. Garrus didn't seem to be moving that fast either, but definitely faster than her. The slight weight on her shoulder must be his talon. "Hey...are you alright?" No, she wasn't alright. In fact, she was pretty miserable. "Yeah, I think I just must have hit my head." Lying didn't seem to be that great of a way to go, but right at the moment she was sure they had bigger things to worry about than the infection raging through her body.

"Should we see if Chakwas can take a look at you?" That was the exact reason she had lied. If she did tell him about her condition, he would probably overreact and force her to see the doctor right that minute. And probably never touch her again in fear of this happening. Besides, she'd had plenty of bad infections before, it was a way of life for a Quarian. "I think being out of my suit to get my head checked would be worse than letting it be.", she mentioned while he helped her to her feet. "Gotcha." She had already used the emergency immunoboosters she carried on her person to stay on her feet and help Shepard on earth. Just enough to help her stay active, but not enough to actually rid her of the infection.

The lights completely went off around them. "Keelah." What else could go wrong? Garrus must have switched the light on his headpiece on, but it streamed only a small light. "Lights on.", Tali commanded, a second later her suit was illuminating her own light source - considerably stronger than Garrus'. "Well played Tali." Despite the fact that he couldn't see it, Tali smiled behind her mask. "So now you're envious of a suit that also acts as a barrier to the rest of the world?" "Eeeeehh...I like the lights.", he mentioned finally, bumping her playfully on the shoulder.

Gingerly they made their way through Engineering. Neither one of them spoke for a moment, each thinking about what had happened.

"I'm not sayin' I mind ya' bein' on me."

"You just told me that you think I ruptured your spleen! I'm not that fat!"

"Ya' landed right on top a' me!"

Tali turned her face toward Garrus, and he did the same. "Kenneth? Gabby?" "Oh thank God, Tali?" They walked up to the couple just as Gabby was scrambling off of Kenneth the rest of the way. "And Garrus! Thank God we're not the only ones left." Tali felt unease in her gut. "What can you tell us about the Normandy?" After boarding the Normandy Tali had ran to get to Engineering and help with what she could with Garrus hot on her heels. She hadn't made it before the ship had started to feel like it was coming apart and then the impact of being grounded had happened moments after. Before Tali could set herself, Gabby flung herself into her arms and hugged her fiercely.

Stumbling back a step, Tali grunted in pain and took a moment to wrap her arms back around Gabby. They had become close friends since Tali had last joined the Normandy, spending much of their time together down in Engineering. Still, her head was already pounding and she wasn't sure she could take much more of this rough treatment - even if it was in the form of an overly aggressive hug.

"What I wouldn't give ta' do tha'."

Gabby just rolled her eyes and shot him a look over her shoulder. "Not that I wouldn't give it ta' do tha' ta you too!", he quickly fixed, leaving Garrus to chuckle. "Oh so now I'm not too fat?" Tali waved her hands.

"Guys...focus. The Normandy?"

"Oh, right. She's got major damage as far as we can tell. I haven't had the time to check her out since we hit. We can do a full systems check, but we should probably see about getting the lights back on first." "Engineer Adams?", Garrus asked from her left.

"He hot footed it to check the Allers woman."

"Not that I blame 'im." Tali gently slapped her mask with her hand. "Keelah."

"My concern for this vessel being inadequate have finally shown its merit. If it had been of Prothean design instead of Turian and human, it would have held up under such a blast." Little wonder who THAT belonged to. As if they didn't have bigger things to worry about than who designed the Normandy. Tali could just feel the speech come bubbling out of Garrus' mouth.

"Turian design is among some of the most well-built and most efficient in all of history.", he argued.

"And the human portion?"

"Uuuuh...well..."

"Hey! Humans know how ta' build stuff!", Kenneth retorted.

"What a fine argument. It is as if you are saying the last species of this cycle to evolve and reach intergalactic space flight can hold up to other species."

Tali sighed deeply. "Boys!", Gabby snapped.

"We can argue about who's prettier later. Right now we have to check on the others."

"She is right.", Tali pointed out.

"Gabby, Kenneth, can you go check on Adams and Diana?"

"Be a pleasure."

"Ugh...come on Kenneth, try not to drool too much."

Shaking her head, Tali started toward the emergency ladder with Garrus and Javik behind her. "After you check on them, can you head below to the shuttle bay to check on Vega and Cortez?"

"Sure thing Tali!"

While they descended, Tali glanced around her and tried not to remember that Jack had inhabited this little section of the ship. She hadn't had anything against the woman really, but Mordin had gone on a rant about how scale itch had worked its way onto the ship after Jack had been added to their crew. ...She just hadn't liked the implications of that.

"Just for the record, it's me."

It took Tali a moment to process that he meant that he meant about who was the prettiest, not how scale itch had gotten it's way into the Normandy. Keelah...that would be so bad. "Primitive species and their need to exert their superiority. Tali'Zorah, the reason you are attracted to this turian is beyond my capacities of understanding."

Tali cleared her throat as they approached the ladder, not liking where this conversation was going.

"The same reason you never had any children.", Garrus quipped.

"Reaper invasion?"

"Y-...no. Women are smart."

"And yet I did have children. Many of them."

"You had children?", Tali asked with interest.

"Yes. Many females approached me for the purpose of reproduction."

"And you say we have primitive species."

"Keelah, can we stop talking about this?", she asked in embarrassment. Tali couldn't help the feeling of discomfort that curled around her belly. Her species just didn't...talk about such things. Ever. Her dad had avoided her for weeks after she had asked about linking suits. Coupled with the fact that she and Garrus had...well, coupled only a short time previous made the whole thing extremely awkward.

Finally at the ladder leading to the upper decks, Tali grabbed the rungs and started to climb, leaving the two men still arguing down below her. By the time they had reached the next level, Tali's humidifiers had kicked in to relieve her body of the sweat she had worked up with just that small climb. Kneeling for a moment while they made their way up behind her, Tali caught her breath and tried to regain her strength. As Garrus popped his head up above the opening and clambered up, Tali was thankful that her environmental suit hid how she looked. There would be no hiding how she felt and looked if there wasn't that barrier. That was second in helpfulness only to being unable to obtain scale itch. Keelah, she was glad Shepard had obtained his pet Varren after that had happened, otherwise Tali would never want to go near the thing. Wait...Urz.

"Garrus, we need to go check on Urz too.", she mentioned.

"We will Tali. I think Shepard left him on the bridge with Joker and EDI. We'll find him when we get to the next level.", he mentioned as he lowered his hand.

"The diseased animal is where your concern lies?"

Sometimes Javik could be a real pain. "He isn't diseased."

"Varren can carry 67 diseases common to other species at one single time. In my cycle, their predecessors were considered unclean and eating their flesh was an offense that could levy a person with fines and quarantine periods of up to three months."

Tali took the hand Garrus offered without comment, simply using his assistance to get to her feet and then pushed on.

"Liara?"

"Doctor Chakwas?" Their voices echoed slightly back at them.

"Thank the Goddess, you're alive."

"Liara!" Squinting through the dim light she was powering Tali noticed she was limping sightly. Ashley was walking next to her. Tali quickly walked forward and wrapped the asari in a hug.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"I was running for the battery to see if I could assist and one of the pieces on the way to the battery broke off and slammed into my leg. It had me pinned down until Ashey got to me." Tali glanced over at where Ashley was standing without saying anything. Though the brunette had seemed to have gotten over her racism since she had first been on the Normandy, Tali still hadn't always gotten along with the spectre. "Good thing Ashley found you.", Garrus commented from her right. Liara nodded. "Indeed."

"I did a sweep of the entire floor. I didn't see anyone else.", Ashley mentioned.

"Keelah, where is everyone?"

"From what I saw, hardly anyone made it back to the Normandy. The people that did make it back are probably on the combat deck. The Doc went to check out that level and sent me to find Liara and do a full sweep of this one. We should probably head up there now."

Tali was really out of it if she hadn't even noticed that the crew on the Normandy had been basically a skeleton of the normal after the battle for Earth. She couldn't blame the human crew members for wanting to fight for their homeworld. After all, she had joined the battle for Rannoch just a short time before they had battled for Earth. While she hadn't really talked to most of them on a regular basis - and for that reason didn't know them all that well - Tali hoped they were alive and doing well.

"They died fighting a noble cause."

"Pretty heavy praise coming from you Javik."

"I always knew you liked us deep down.", Tali couldn't help but mention as she nudged him in the side.

"I am only waiting until you will let your guard down. I have not had such delicate meat as quarian in fifty thousand years."

"Uh...right."

"Heh, you have a warped sense of humor Javik.", Ashley mentioned from the side.

"You believe that was a jest?"

"Remind me never to be alone with Javik again.", Tali muttered to Garrus.

"We'd uh...best get to the combat floor and find Chakwas before Javik sacrifices us all to his stomach."

Tali nodded to agree with Garrus and followed him as he made his way toward the med bay to enter the core and gain access to the second level.

"You would live, turian. I have never had such a vile tasting meal as when we were forced to endure a meal of your species. It was like eating our boots."

"Uh...thanks?"

"You've eaten your boots before?", Tali couldn't help but ask.

"The Reaper invasion was not the best time of my cycle."

"Did you actually get nourishment from that?", Liara demanded.

"It was...not satisfying." Keelah, and yet Javik said that they were the primitive species. At the ladder, Ashley went first, followed by Liara. Tali hesitated and leaned against the side of the cramped space to wait her turn, tilting her head back until she rested it against the side of the Normandy. What she wouldn't give for some more immunoboosters.

"Hey, Tali. You okay?"

"What? Oh...yeah, I am." No...no she wasn't doing okay. She just wanted to curl up in a ball somewhere and cry, but there were bigger things going on than just the pain she was in. "Okaaaaay.", he drew out the word and stared at her until Tali had to clear her throat and push past to grasp the ladder. After they figured out if everyone was safe and what had happened, she would ask Chakwas for assistance.

"I will enjoy my meal if you do not live."

"Yeah...nooot helping.", she muttered and glared at him over her shoulder. "

Javik, you wouldn't aaactually eat us would you?"

"I have already told you, turian. You would survive."

Tali scuttled up the ladder to avoid the weird topic of eating her species. A soft light was glowing as she climbed up. At the top, a pair of strong hands pulled her up. Tali lifted her mask to see Ashley there lending her a hand. Keelah, maybe she had really changed.

"Thanks, Ashley."

"Don't mention it Tali." Now on her feet, Tali glanced up and noticed that a light was shining through the windows of the Normandy. Unable to help herself, Tali glanced out and took in the heavy foliage

"Hey! Doctor Chakwas needs assistance!" Tali glanced around to see a human woman she recognized but couldn't put a name to run up.

"Lead the way private Campbell."

Oooh...that's where she recognized her from. Every time Tali had wanted to go visit EDI and Joker, her and that other woman had stood guard to...do what? Honestly the entire time they had been on the Normandy Tali had been left wondering what their purpose had actually been.

"It is so strange to see that human not guarding the war room as if the very survival of the ship depended on it. I wonder if it knows how to function without the security of being rooted in one place."

" 'It' is a she, Javik.", Ashley sighed.

"They all look the same." "Coming from a Prothean? Shepard showed us that memory can of yours.", Garrus snarked as he got to his feet and followed them on their way to the Doctor.

They found her surrounded by bodies. Tali took one look and stopped abruptly. Someone - Garrus by the sound of his grunt - ran into her, propelling her forward a step. There was a semi large hole ripped out of the side of the Normandy connected to the war room. There were a few crew membersthat appeared to be just sitting and recovering, while a few were bleeding quite heavily.

"Keelah."

"I need medi gel!", Chakwas' no nonsense tone snapped out. Hurriedly Tali went forward to help. Dispensing some on the patient she was motioned toward, Tali was relieved to see the bleeding cease almost immediately.

"By the Goddess."

"You've got that right, I think my insides just decided they wanted out. I feel sick."

It was no secret that James wasn't so good with wounds. He'd had plenty of them, but for such a huge man, he seemed to turn into a puddle of water whenever he saw a nasty one.

"Get him out of here!", Chakwas commanded sharply.

"Tali, come here." No one liked to see so much blood coming out of a person, and that included her. Still, Chakwas had asked and so she obediently dropped to her knees beside the woman Chakwas was already kneeling by.

"Javik, Garrus, hold her steady." Tali's stomach did a few flip flops as well when she really looked at the wound. A large piece of twisted metal was imbedded into the woman's lower abdomen.

"Tali, as soon as Ashley and I get it out, apply a medi-gel and then get pressure on it. When it comes out there's going to be blood spurting, so I need you to get it done as quickly as possible. A wound this size will need some time to close and knit together and we can't have her bleeding out."

Tali nodded "Okay.", she said meekly.

"Private Westmoreland, this is going to be very painful. Try not to move and focus on Garrus' face while we remove the metal."

Garrus hand his hands on either shoulder and Tali glanced up at him for a moment. He had been looking at her, but as soon as Chakwas instructed the woman to look at him, he grinned down at Westmoreland instead.

"Try not to gawk too badly, I know these scars attract women like crazy." Despite the pain she must be in, the woman almost smiled. "Okay." Tali watched Chakwas grip the metal and swallowed hard. "In three, two-" On two, the doctor tugged the metal out - ripping a scream from private Westmoreland and startling Tali, who had to scramble to dispense the medi gel properly and timely. Though her hands were shaking, she accomplished it and immediately covered the wound with the sterile dressing Karin had given her, applying pressure while the woman struggled against her captors.

Tali watched silently as Chakwas quickly applied an anesthetic, to which the woman relaxed and slumped back down from where she'd been trying to clamber to her feet. "By God, that never gets easier.", Chakwas muttered under her breath. All the while she began to wrap the wound in dressings until the wound was tightly bound. At that moment the lights flickered back on. "Thank God for small favors.", Chakwas said with obvious relief.

Tali was standing and watching Chakwas make one last round and feeling dead on her feet when she felt an arm stabilize her. Glancing to the side, she saw Garrus standing there looking down at her with a concerned expression on his face. "Come on, let's go check on Joker and EDI.", he said and guided her away from the war room and the recovering crew members. Out of anyone, those two would know what the hell was going on anyway.

As they moved in a group toward the bridge, each talking about something different. Tali glanced up to see Joker limping toward them, supported by EDI. Immediately she felt relief. Those two meant a lot to her, and her worry that they might not have made it had been eating at her.

"Joker!""EDI!", various voices called out in a welcoming tone. The greetings lasted for some time before a tension arose. Each wanted to ask the question they had all been wondering, but no one seemed to know how to do it. Finally Liara took a step forward. "Shep-..." Her voice cracked slightly and she had to pause to clear her throat before continuing. "Shepard? Did...did he..." Tali noticed she was wringing her hands to death and then realized that Liara was doing the same. "Is he...?"

When Tali saw the look Joker and EDI shared, her heart sank. Tears began to flow down her face, fogging up her mask and causing her dehumidifiers to kick in with a gentle whirring. The moisture was absorbed in her suit as Tali's head started to hang. "Liara..." Tali had only heard that tone in his voice once since she had known him. It had been after Shepard had died when the Normandy SR-1 had been destroyed. Since he seemed at loss for what to say, EDI took over. "The readings from Shepard's suit indicated a blast of extreme volume and energy hit him from a very short distance. At that moment the vital signs being monitored from his armor cut off and we haven't received any transmissions since to indicate life." A heavy sob tore from Liara as she stood there in shock. Moments later Tali watched the asari whirl around and bolt back toward the war room.

"Liara!", Tali cried and attempted to catch her arm on the way by, but was brushed off. She prepared to chase after Liara when strong arms caught her and spun her around. Tali found herself tucked up against Garrus. "Let her go.", his voice was raw with pain, hardly recognizable. For a moment she resisted, but finally let herself be held and shook as she started to cry like her heart was breaking.


	2. Burdens we Bear

Characters at Bioware, the story is my own! Enjoy!

* * *

Tali sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, wishing she could drown her sorrows in some turian brandy. Her sorrows and pain.

Garrus had sat next to her and while _his_ eyes weren't swollen from crying, he did look like he was in shock. Probably because he'd just been told his best friend had died.

Tali felt her dehumidifiers kick in again, their gentle whirring seemed incredibly loud and she winced - the sound pulling her out of her fog.

"Keelah, Shepard. It wasn't supposed to end this way.", She muttered under her breath.

"What did you say Tali?"

Garrus seemed to pull out of his own fog.

"It was nothing."

"How is your head?"

Her...head? A little foggy and woozy, but overall not as bad as the rest of her. He must have taken her silence as confusion.

"You hit your head, remember?"

"Oh yeah..."

That's right,she had told him she had hit her head to get him to leave her alone about her infection. She hated lying to him, but at the moment it was the best she could do - others needed attention before her.

"It's fine. How are you?"

She thought he looked more defeated than she had ever seen him.

"I should have been with him."

Tali reached her hand out and wrapped her fingers around his talons. He tightened his grip and sent her a tired smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Shepard wouldn't have wanted that. He did all this so we could live."

"He was supposed to live too. We were supposed to drink over the reapers dead bodies."

"We don't know for sure."

"You heard EDI."

"Hey!"

Tali forced her tired body up until she was crouched in front of him.

"This is _Shepard_ we're talking about! Until we see a corpse we can't be sure! And even then...you might get your drinks yet!"

She must have startled him, because he sat looking up at her like she had grown a second head.

"You're right."

She realized then that her legs were quivering from trying to keep her upright and sat back down quickly.

Tali had closed her eyes but pressure on her arms made her open them. Garrus was gripping her arms, an earnest expression on his face.

"Thank you, Tali."

"You're welcome. Don't you dare die on me Garrus Vakarian."

He smiled again - this time reaching his eyes.

"I won't if you won't."

Right now she didn't feel like she would live through the day. But she nodded.

"Tali'Zorah, can I get some assistance?"

Tali glanced over to where doctor Chakwas stood looking at them from the doorway. Keelah, Tali wasn't even sure she could stand herself, let alone going to help Chakwas for who knew how long the woman needed her. Besides, just thinking about the wounds she had helped with before was enough to cause her stomach to start rolling. She wasn't cut out to be a health care provider, and she probably needed as much medical attention as anyone else (minus the human who had gotten impaled).

Still, Chakwas looked nearly ready to collapse herself - pale, drawn and haggard. It would be selfish to ask that the aging woman keep going while she begged off from a self inflicted infection. So, despite wanting to collapse and sleep for the next two days, Tali nodded.

"Sure, I'll be right there."

"Thank you."

The doctor disappeared but Tali didn't move right away - gaining the internal strength to do so.

"Did you ask her about your head?

"No, I will when she's gotten some rest."

He didn't look like he agreed with her decision, but he nodded.

"Why do you keep getting bloody patient duty?"

"I think it's mostly desperation. James gets violently sick just thinking about blood, Ashley has the bedside manner of a krogan, Joker would snap his own bones trying to help, EDI, Kenneth and Gabby are trying to get power back to the ship, you're supposed to be leading and figuring a way off this planet, Javik would probably try eating the patients, and Liara...well..."

"Yeah...I know. And wait, I'm supposed to single handedly get us off the planet?"

"Oh is that too much to ask? I thought with the crazy things that have been asked of us the last couple years this would be a piece of turian chocolate."

"Turian chocolate is hard to come by! Especially since you eat it all."

Tali smiled. "You _didn't_ always bring that on board for me?"

"Well...mooost of it, yeah."

"What I wouldn't give for some."

"I'll check my stash after I figure out a way off this planet."

"If you could do that in the next few hours that'd be wonderful."

"No big deal. Save the crew at seven, get the chocolate by eight."

"No big deal!"

"I'm sorry you have to help Chakwas, I know you're tired."

"We're all tired. Besides I think she thinks that since I have to be conscientious about germs I'll make a good assistant."

"And you don't?"

"There's a reason I just hide behind a suit."

Garrus smiled before Tali forced herself to her feet and followed Chakwas.

* * *

Save the crew, find a way to get the mangled _Normandy_ to fly and get off this planet.

Not a tall order at all.

Garrus scoffed and scratched his mandible. He would give almost anything for Shepard to be here so he could pass off the leadership to him.

"Damn you Shepard, you weren't supposed to die and leave me with the after effects."

How was he supposed to fill those shoes when he had no idea where they were and how they could get back home. He could use someone to talk to. He wished Wrex were here, or that Chakwas hadn't dragged Tali away again. She had really good ideas. Helpful ideas, ones he desperately needed because he was pulling a blank. First go talk to Joker and EDI and find out the status of the ship.

Right, that was a good step one.

Garrus picked his way across the chaotic combat information center on his way to the bridge where the two stayed. The amount of chaos saddened him. It had been one hell of a crash, but he hated to see the _Normandy_ in chaos.

"EDI? Joker?"

"Back here Garrus."

Garrus ducked some hanging wire to find Joker sitting in his seat. EDI was standing to the side doing something that looked entirely too physical for Joker to accomplish.

Probably why he was the one sitting down.

"How is the _Normandy_?"

"It's a lot like I feel right now."

"Thankful to be alive and with a beautiful woman to keep you company?"

"Like I snapped multiple bones and any movement might break a couple more."

"Oooh...that doesn't sound great."

"The company does help."

"You don't have to tell me I'm charming and damn good looking."

"I meant EDI."

"You cut me to the core."

"A feat most impressive considering the turians tough exoskeleton makeup."

"Uuuuh..."

"Not helpful EDI."

"Soooo, _the Normandy_?"

Joker sighed heavily and gestured for EDI to take over.

"The damage to the ship is extensive. Putting aside the physical damage, the internal is..."

"Irreparable?"

"Likely without a good crew, funds, and the proper equipment."

"So you're saying Tali, Gabby, Kenneth, you, and Adams can't fix it?"

"Hey you know I'm important too right? I know stuff."

"As reassuring as that is Joker, I think they should handle it. You can make inappropriate jokes and oversee them."

"Fair enough."

"With the right equipment and parts, yes. Currently I don't even know where we are."

It wasn't a good thing if even _EDI_ didn't know where they were.

"Hmm okay. Well I think the first step is a scouting mission to find out if there's any living beings here."

"Yeah knowing our luck it's a whole group of krogans.", Joker quipped from the side.

"That would be unfortunate. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a colony of salarians dying to work on a Cerberus issue deep space stealth equipped frigate starship."

"Yeeeah...maybe if we had Shepard on board."

Almost immediately they all fell silent. Garrus was trying to not think about Shepard, but it was hard when everything and everyone on the whole damn ship reminded him of the man.

"How is doctor T'Soni?"

Garrus shrugged miserably. "I haven't seen her."

"Ah."

"Tali has tried to talk to her, but she won't open up her door."

He felt like a complete ass for not having tried to talk to her himself, but damn it...Garrus didn't actually have an excuse that didn't sound pathetic and weak. Shepard wouldn't have allowed one of his crew members to suffer in silence. But damn it he wasn't Shepard!

"I will try to approach her at an appropriate time."

"Thank you EDI...I appreciate it."

"In the meantime, a scouting mission sounds promising. I should be able to tell you more based on what - and who - you find on this planet."

"Okay EDI. I'll put together a team and head out tomorrow."

But before that...

* * *

Garrus appreciated for the first time having been delegated leadership - if it meant he got out of medical duty he would do pretty much anything. It was good they had a skeleton crew when this had happened, or else he was sure there would be more injured bodies taking over Chakwas' med-bay.

Gingerly he peeked his head through the door, sure blood would come flying at him from every angle at the same time. Instead he was greeted by the clean smell of sensitization and medi-gel. Various noises he assumed were the contraptions set up to each patient.

"Do you need something Garrus?"

"Uh...I'm looking for Tali."

Chakwas gestured toward the corner.

"She's resting over there."

"Thanks doctor."

He picked his way around the patients - careful not to bump into anything - on his way to where Chakwas had indicated Tali was. His heart constricted when he saw her. She was sitting curled up, her torso propped against the wall. It must have been pure exhaustion that would have made her fall asleep like that.

How hard had Chakwas worked her?

"She did everything she could to help me."

"She's a hard worker."

"Indeed she is. She eventually collapsed over here."

"She _collapsed_? Chakwas you can't keep working her so hard-"

"Keep your panties on Garrus. I mean she was tired and sat down for a minute to rest and then fell asleep."

Garrus could almost feel himself flush. It wasn't every day that an older human woman talked to him about panties.

"Oh... well... uh...did she ask you about her head?"

"Her head?"

"Typical...she hit her head bad in the crash and she's been acting funny all day... night, whatever it is now."

"I believe we're well into the night cycle. Take her and get her in a bed somewhere. If she hit her head I want you to keep a close eye on her. The crash was nearly twenty hours ago so if she had a concussion any changes in mental status should have happened by now. Unfortunately with her inability to resist germs I can't take her out of her suit to conduct a thorough assessment. Get some rest and then bring her back to me in the morning."

"You've got it."

Garrus tucked the chocolate bars he had in Tali's lap and leaned down. Supporting her torso and legs, he picked her up and tucked her up against his chest. She mumbled in her sleep and her head rolled against his chest plate with a 'clink'. He wished he could hold her outside the suit.

Maybe someday on Rannoch.

First though, he had to get them off this rock... wherever this rock was.


	3. Chocolate

Characters at Bioware, story is my own!

* * *

Tali felt like she had been trampled by a tribe of Krogans. She had to blink to get her eyes to focus. How long had she slept? Doctor Chakwas no doubt needed her help-

Wait. This wasn't the med-bay. Why was she in a bed? Lifting herself to an elbow and leaning over caused a moan to escape. She hurt like a bosh'tet. A noise made her glance over the side of the bed, noticing then that Garrus was lying on the ground beside her cramped bunk.

Had he carried her in here?

Warmth flooded through her. Gingerly she sat upright, careful not to disturb Garrus as she studied him. He was outside his armor, in normal clothes for a Turian. His mouth was slightly open, an arm thrown above his head and his second over his abdomen. He was snoring softly.

Tali was glad she hadn't woken up still in the med-bay, though she was sure Chakwas would probably ask for her assistance again. Maybe today she could get some antibiotics or something to help the infection she had right now. The sleep had helped, but she could still feel the fever burning in her body - her dehumidifiers still trying to help dry her skin from the sweat. She was going to get a scrubbing today no matter what!

Tali scooted to the side of the bed and stood. When she did a wave of dizziness flooded over her. "Bosh'tet!", She hissed and grabbed at the side of the bunk to keep from falling over.

"Huh what?"

Garrus shot up until he was sitting, looking around like a reaper was going to attack at any moment. He looked as confused as she had felt. Finally he saw her and dropped back down until he was leaning on his elbows, looking at her with sleepy eyes.

"Tali? How's your head?"

"I'm a little dizzy-" that wasn't a lie "-but I'll live."

"Good. I kinda failed at keeping an eye on you."

"Keeping an eye on me?"

"Doc told me to keep an eye on you. Head injuries can cause mental changes I guess. You remember who you are?"

Tali smiled. "My name is Javik, right? Don't worry _turian_ I won't eat _your_ tough flesh."

"You've been hanging out with Javik too much."

"Too much. I think one day he really might eat me."

"I'll rub all over you so you smell like turian and he'll leave you alone."

Tali realized he was half asleep and probably hadn't meant anything by it, but she still smiled. It had given an infection that still might kill her but she had enjoyed being rubbed by him.

"Oh speaking of eating, I got you something."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, it should be-..." He searched around and finally produced something, rising to his feet and extending it toward her to take.

"-here! One big bar of turian chocolate!"

Keelah Garrus was a good turian. Experimentally she let go of the bunk and took the candy he was offering. She felt warmth down to her toes that didn't have anything to do with her infection. He had promised her chocolate but she hadn't actually thought he would find any. Tali wrapped her arms around him to give him a weak hug.

"This is why I kept bringing chocolate on board."

"Because I give amazing hugs?"

"N-...well yes."

Tali released him and squeezed his arm.

"But mostly because I enjoy seeing you happy."

"Chocolate is a good way to make that happen."

"Believe me, I figured that out a long time ago."

She shared a smile with him, which was more so him smiling and her returning it without him being able to see. At least now after their night he could imagine it. He had, after all, made her smile a whole lot then. Actually he had made her do a whole lot of things that should probably make a good quarian blush.

"I wish I could return the favor."

"Just bring me gun to calibrate and I'll be a happy turian."

"I'd bring something else to calibrate if I could." It was hard to flirt when you had a full body suit in the way.

"Do you mean some other sort of weaponr-"

"I mean me."

"-rrrrrry...oh...OH! That's a much better scenario, you're right."

"Oh come on, get a room you two."

Tali didn't realize until then that Vega and Ashley were standing in the doorway. it was good for Garrus that humans weren't good at picking up on other races being embarrassed, because she could definitely tell his face was a darker shade of blue.

"If you didn't notice, we already have a room and you weren't invited!"

"Yeah we heard...you'll have to wait to do your...wait for it... _Tali_ brations until we leave."

Immediately Vega laughed uproariously at his own joke. Tali couldn't help it - she laughed until she had tears pricking her eyes and had to stop to gulp down air.

Garrus looked almost hurt.

"How did I never come up with that..."

"You're getting soft old man. Your mind is turning as leathery as your skin... skin? Shell?"

"My tough skin will keep me alive when Javik starts eating humans. I'll have the last laugh then."

"Yeah well he likes Quarian the best so I'd keep an eye on Tali."

"Damn."

"Keelah, 'damn' is right! I think he might actually already be thinking about it!"

"Don't worry, Garrus shouldn't let him eat you. I'm sure only _he_ wants to do that. Eeeh?"

Vega nudged Ashley in the side with his elbow. Tali expected her to snarl at him, but-...was that a hint of red? Keelah! Ashley and _Vega_? Garrus shared a look with her that expressed every bit of her shock. Maybe Ashley had already prepared for the worst and was thinking about having to repopulate the galaxy. She supposed Vega was better than Javik...

Or maybe she'd also thought that she was going to die and what the hell. At least in Tali's case it wasn't her cold heart holding her back. But that wasn't fair either, Ashley had come a long way since the first time she had been aboard the Normandy.

"Soooo...is there any reason you're here other than to kill the mood and remind us that Javik is trying to dine on Tali?"

"Yeah, the doc wants to know where you and Tali are and what's keeping you."

Keelah she did not feel up to going back and assisting with sick people. Garrus spoke up next to her. "Oh she told me last night that she needed a stronger assistant like you Vega."

For such a big man accustomed to making injuries, he sure blanched at the idea quickly.

"Uh...uh no bueno. I'll stick to blowing stuff up, thanks."

"I hope Javik eats you first.", Tali joked in good fun, before squeezing Garrus' arm and looking up at him.

"Thank you for the chocolate Garrus, I'll go find Chakwas now."

"I'll walk you down there."

"Oh no need, I'll be fine."

"Okay, well...ask her about your head!"

Tali squeezed past Vega and Ashley. "I will see you later."

"Later Tali!"

* * *

Garrus wished he could go after Tali, but he watched her go and sighed internally.

He supposed he needed to talk to Vega and Ashley anyway.

"So what's up, boss? EDI says you wanted to see us?"

Well no, he hadn't asked for them specifically, but out of the crew they had, with Liara mourning and many of the others needed here at the ship, they were good candidates for a scouting mission.

After all, other than blowing stuff up they didn't really have that many skills.

"Yeah. We need to run a scouting mission to see what this planet has to offer. I'm hoping we'll find some people here that can help explain where we are in the galaxy and and how to get back to the citadel and find out what happened during that last push...see if there's anything left."

"It would be beneficial for us to find civilization that could help get us home."

"It would. Suit up and take some time to prepare for an extended excursion. I'll come find you when I'm ready to leave."

"You've got it boss!"

That was never going to get easier to hear.

* * *

"What is this I hear about a scouting mission?"

Garrus mentally cringed. It wasn't necessarily that he was trying to keep Javik from his mission, but the Prothean had this way of grating on everyone's nerves. Shepard had seemed to rein him in, but Garrus wasn't so sure he could do the same.

Still, as much of a pain in the ass he could be Javik was a warrior and Garrus could use him if something bad happened while they were scouting.

"EDI and I agreed that we need to find out what resources this planet can provide and if there's any sort of civilization that could help us get home."

"Vakarian despite myself being a better candidate for leading, the crew has decided to look at you to lead. You do not need permission from an artificial intelligence to do so."

Garrus knew there was a complement in there but it was awfully hard when it was wrapped in so many negative comments to find it. Is this how Shepard had felt dealing with...nearly everyone he supposed?

"I'll, uh..."

 _'Throw that right outside the useful section in my brain.'_

"...keep that in mind."

"See that you do. The populous need a strong leader in times of hardship."

"It was good for his group they died.", He muttered to himself.

"What was that Vakarian? I have multiple sets of eyes, not ears."

"I said 'oh yes of course they do, I intend to rule with a heavy hand.' "

"Good."

Good? Garrus had a feeling it was a good thing Javik didn't have a female companion to repopulate the earth with Protheans. The Salarians would probably do worse to them than the Krogans once they started conquering the world.

"Yes...well for now get ready for a scouting trip. Take whatever supplies you need, get Williams and Vega and meet me by the airlock."

"I am always prepared."

"... _always_?"

"Yes."

"So even when-"

"Even then."

"I didn't even say it."

"It does not matter, I am always prepared."

"Oookay, well lucky me I suppose."

"Yes you are fortunate I am here. I will find the two concupiscent humans and await you by the airlock."

He left Garrus blinking and watching him as he walked away. Considering his revelation that he had been propositioned by women often and had many children it hardly seemed fair to call Vega and Williams the concupiscent ones.

"I...need to scrub my ears."

Okay so he had a team now...Ashley, Vega and Javik.

...Too many brawny types. He needed someone with some intelligence. He wished not for the last time that Liara wasn't hiding away in her room. He could use her brains and biotics. Doctor Chakwas needed Tali's help...but he needed her more than the doctor did right now.

Because while Garrus didn't think he was in Vega's category of intelligence, he definitely fit more into the brawn category on the ship. He also couldn't shake having only races that prided themselves as the one true race as his only teammates. Vega and Williams probably wouldn't try killing him, but Javik was a wildcard. He might just as soon enslave them as help them. And it didn't hurt to have hips like Tali's to appreciate when he was in the middle of a jungle staving off the headhunting natives. Her brains were also a bonus - and he could be sure she would have his back.

That decided, Garrus started walking toward the med-bay to get her.

* * *

The day had started pretty decent - painful but the chocolate and company had made it better. Tali was starting to realize she would rather go back to cheating death every day with Shepard than help Chakwas in the med-bay.

Her head was pounding, limbs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds each, and her temperature was fluctuating so drastically her suit was working overtime to try and heat her up and cool her down to accommodate it. And still she would rather have been out shooting something...or perhaps because of all that she would rather be shooting something. Or sleeping. Sleeping didn't sound so bad either.

Keelah how long until she could be done in here? And why were these people not healing faster? Her great grandmother exposed to the wide open earth air and all it's pollutants and nasty diseases could heal faster than these people!

Granted, it had only been about a day and a half, but keelah, they needed to do it faster. Or they needed to move over in bed so she could lie down and finally be sick like them. This whole being noble thing was terrible, Shepard could keep that role and she would be perfectly fine handing it back.

"Is Tali here still?"

"She's in the back."

"Doc I know you probably need her help, but I-"

"If you need her, she can leave."

"-I...didn't need to spend the whole walk up here thinking of ways to convince you to let me take her away from you?"

"No, Tali has been a huge help but I believe I can manage by myself now."

"Oh that's disappointing."

"Was it a rousing speech?"

"It was actually. I was going to put my heart and soul into it. Maybe some good looks and charm."

"Unfortunately you don't have the anatomy that would charm me."

"Er...I...don't think I should ask what anatomy charms you."

"You're not interested?"

"I'm...not really?"

"But a little bit?"

"Is it hot in here? I think it's hot in here."

"Oh go get Tali out of here. And stop blushing, you're going to make me blush too."

Garrus brushed back the curtain and stepped into her little space where she was cleaning Chakwas' tools. Sure enough, he was a far deeper shade of blue around his mandibles than was normal for him.

"She's a bad person, hiding behind her motherly haircut and secretly going for the jugular."

Tali couldn't help but giggle at his indignation.

"You stop laughing, it'll only encourage her!"

"I'm-...sorry! Keelah Garrus, it's funny!"

He grinned then down at her. "I suppose it is a _little_ funny."

"So you've come to rescue me from bloody patient duty?"

"Well...yeah, although I don't know how great of a second option mine is."

"Please tell me it involves a comfy bed, some turian brandy, and that EDI agreed to use some of our precious energy for a movie."

"Does eventually count?"

Tali eyed him suspiciously. "How eventually?"

"Well that depends."

"On?"

"If Javik decides he wants to enslave us in the wilderness of whatever planet we're on."

"Uh..."

"EDI and I decided we need to scout around to see if there's any resources we can use to patch the _Normandy_ up and if there's any sort of advanced civilization here to assist us with obtaining flight again."

"That's a really good idea."

"No need to tell me that I'm the turian."

"To be fair to the rest of the _non_ turian crew, you don't have much competition being _'the'_ turian."

"You've spent too much time with Chakwas, her mean spirit is rubbing off on you."

He squeezed her arm while he said it and his mouth tilted up to ensure she knew he was joking.

"So I'm guessing my job doesn't involve a comfortable bed?"

"Would you settle on some turian brandy?"

"I might at this point."

"Vega, Williams, and Javik are accompanying me. I could use..."

"Someone that doesn't spend more time thinking about his or her muscles and procreating abilities than breathing?"

"I was going to say someone with some actual intelligence, but yeah, that fits too."

Tali inwardly sighed. It wasn't that she didn't want to assist Garrus in this mission - and see the importance. The problem was that she was already dead on her feet and the thought of journeying for whoever knew how many more hours in the wilderness of an unknown planet when she had a raging infection and felt like passing out most of the time was slightly daunting. But...this was Garrus looking down with a look that she couldn't resist.

Keelah she needed to grow a spine or something - and not ever tell him she couldn't resist that earnest look he gave her.

"I'd like to go with you."

"Really?"

She nodded, "I can't leave you to that bunch! Keelah, they might start a war with all the diplomacy they can muster between the three of them if you find a civilization."

"Great. I've got your shotgun and pistol, what else do you need?"

"Well you promised me turian brandy."

"I'm sure we can swing by and pick some up on the way."


End file.
